By Monty Siekerman
This is an incredible story of strength: the life story of Ahlam Anteer of Iraq, now a U.S. Citizen who voted Tuesday.
You see, Ahlam's father was kidnapped and murdered in Baghdad. She described him as "a high government official and international lawyer."
Three of her brothers were murdered, as well.
Ahlam, a teacher, and her mother fled to northern Iraq where her mother died from the stress of losing most of her family. Ahlam worked her way to Syria, which at the time was not in the throes of civil war as it is today. The United Nations came to her rescue, sending her to Sterling Heights, Mich.
After a few years there, she enrolled at ONU this fall, majoring not only in pharmacy but politics, as well.
Few pharmacy students enroll in another college at Ohio Northern because the pharmacy study is rigorous and takes six years to complete.
But, she loves politics because, as a small child, that was a major topic of conversation at the dinner table in the evenings. She is now pursuing a doctor of pharmacy degree at the same time she seeks a bachelors degree in politics in the College of Arts and Sciences.
She is proud to be an American citizen, proud of voting, and deservedly proud of carrying a 3.8 grade point average, despite all of the devastation that has occurred in her life.
The Ada Icon caught up with her at the election watch party held at The Inn on Tuesday evening.
